La promenade de la roue et des marmites

At the foot of Saint-Germain-de-Joux, the Combet river rushes into one last waterfall before converging with the Semine. During the early 1900s, the Thévenin sawmill decided to upsize to fully benefit from this high flow rate. At the time, it had a “giant” 7.5-meter-high water wheel which would run day and night, to match the rhythm of arrivals and orders. Housed just downstream from the sawmill, the sawyers would work hard around the clock. In 1859, a diamond factory set up in this restricted perimeter - which was highly sought after in the first part of the 19th century due to its hydropower installations - just downstream from the sawmill and the Romain bridge.

In Saint-Germain-de-Joux, the erosion caused by the Semine and its tributary, the Combet, creates huge holes called potholes or “kettles”. Measuring two to three metres deep, they are linked together by a few successive waterfalls, where the famous brown trout can be found. Keep your eyes peeled, you may also come across the yellow-bellied toad, a rare species of toad.

This small toad with a grey, brown or olive-coloured back has a bright yellow underbelly and throat, which serves to warn any nearby predators of its toxicity. Its skin gives off venom that can cause unpleasant burns. If you look closely at the picture, you will notice its heart-shaped eyes! Is your prince charming a yellow-bellied toad?